Woodbtjry stoeee how



(No Model.)

W. 8. HOW.

TOOTH REGULATOR.

.No. 385,117; Patented June 26, 1888.

N PETERS, PhotoUlbugrzphur, WmMngmmDfC.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WOODBURYSTORER HOlV', OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. S. WHITE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TOOTH-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,117, dated June 26, 1888.

Application filed February 13, 1888. Serial No. 263,872. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WooDBURY STORER HOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Teeth- Regulators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others,

IO skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to devices for regulat' ing natural teeth in the mouth.

Malpositions of the natural teeth are often I 5 capable of correction by means of mechanical apparatus fixed upon or attached to the other teeth in the mouth. Such attachments are usually secured by collars, which must, in every instance of which I am aware, be made especially for and fit closely around the individual tooth that is to serve as one of the an chorages of the fixture. It is also commonly necessary that the adjacent teeth be separated from the anchor-tooth by the thickness of the 2 5 collar, so as to apply the collar, and the space thus required by the collar-usdally applied, necessarily, on two teeth-amounts to four times the thickness of the collar, so that a very considerable space is lost which it is desirable 0 to utilize in and while regulating the teethas, for instance, in cases where some of the teeth are crowded out of line or are irregular as respects the dental arch. W'ith such collars valuable time is also lost in fitting them 5 over the teeth.

The object of my invention is to provide for the regulation of natural teeth without the disadvantages mentioned and to facilitate applying and removing the apparatus, my anchoring band or yoke being applied without the necessity of separating the adjacent teeth or occupying valuable space and with increased facility.

I have shown my improvements as embodied in the best way now known to me, and have set forth the improvements claimed by me in the several claims at the close of this specification.

I desire it understood that some of my said improvements may be used without the others,

and in different ways.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of my improved apparatus applied to an irregular dental arch. Fig. 2 is an outside view of the clamp'yoke fitted to a molar tooth. Fig. 3 is a View in elevation of 5 several natural teeth, showing their formation-that is, their taper from the crowns to the cervical walls or necks-and with the approximal sides of the crowns in or nearly in contact and with the enlarging spaces between them as the necks are approached. Fig. 4 is a View of the inner surface of the couplingbar of the clamp-yoke, or that surface which rests upon the outside of the tooth to which the clamp-yoke is applied. Fig. 5 isa plan 6 or top view of the clip or fingers of said yoke. Fig. 6 is a view'of the several parts of the clamp-yoke detached, and Fig. 7 is a View thereof with the parts united as when in place around the neck of the tooth. Fig. 8 is a View of the wire out of which the yoke portion of my improved clamp-yoke is made, and Figs. 9 and 10 are views of said yoke bent into shape and fitted (in Fig. 9) with a sustaining clip or fingers and (in Fig. 10) with an anchoring button orlug. Figs. 11 and 12 show, respectively, the inside ribbed surfaces of the coupling-bar of the clamp yoke for a molar and a bicuspid tooth, and Fig. 18 is a vertical section through the improved clamp-yoke, showing its application to the well-known spring-bow regulating device of Dr. Patrick. Fig. 14 is aside and end view of one form of wrench by which'the clampnuts of my improved device may be applied and removed.

The largest part of a tooth is its crown, and it lessens in diameter, generally, from the crown to the neck or gum line, (see Fig. 3,) so that above the gum-line, even if the walls of 0 the crowns are crowded together, there is a space betweenthe necks of the teeth. I avoidseparating the crowns to apply a band or collar around the tooth by making use of a sec tional clamp-yoke, consisting of the bent-wire 9 5 yoke proper, a,having its ends screw-threaded,

a couplingbar, I), perforated for the passage of said screw-th readed ends, and screw-nuts c c, to be screwed upon said ends after the coupling-bar has been fitted thereon. The yoke a is applied to the tooth from the palatal side by passing its threaded ends, one on each side of the tooth, outward through the space between the necks of the adjacent teeth above the gumline. The loop side of the yoke fits snugly against the curved inner or palatal side of the tooth, and the threaded ends project beyond the tooth on each side to receivethe coupling bar b, through the perforations of which said threaded ends pass. The nuts 0 c are then screwed up tight on said ends to clamp the yoke tightly upon the neck of the tooth. This action would cause the loop to move, owing to the taper of the neck, toward the gum and cause pain, if notinjury; hence I fit the coupling-bar b with a clip or fingers, (one or more,) b, to engage or lap over on the biting-surface of the tooth, and thus prevent the clamp-yoke moving endwise upon the tooth.

The nuts 0 are or may be applied and removed by means of the lever-wrench I), having a lateral wrench-hole, d, to receive a nut, as well as a similar hole in the end of the wrench for a like purpose. (See Fig. 14.)

In many cases my improved clamp-yoke may be used in connection with other wellknown appliances, and hence I fit the curved portion of the yoke or loop a with an anchoring button or lug, a, to constitute an anchoring connection for ligatures, &c., or pulling or pushing connections for regulating devices. (See Fig. 10.) In some cases it will also be advisable to fit this curved portion of the yoke or loop with a clip or finger to prevent the loop riding toward the gum. (See Fig. 9.)

In some cases it will be desirable to provide the inner surface of the coupling-bar b, which is clamped against the outer surface of the tooth,with ribs b bflwhich not only strengthen the bar, but prevent its twisting laterally on the tooth. (See Figs. 4, 11, 12, 13, and Figs. 1 and 5, which latter show the application of the ribs to the curved outer or buccal side of the tooth.) These ribs may be straight or more or less curved to fit particular teeth.

To adapt my improved clamp-yoke to the well'known spring regulating-bow E, which is made to conformin general shape to the dental arch, and is fitted with hooks, wedges, 810., in regulating irregular arches, I fit said clampyoke with a spring-lip, 6, (one or more,) bent over outwardly and perforated for the passage of the end or ends of the yoke a, and so thatit forms a clamp-socket to receive the bow E. Obviously, by tightening up the nut c,to bind the clamp-yoke upon the tooth, it will also clamp the lip e tightly upon the bow E and lock the two securely together. Any adj ustment required may obviously be effected by loosening and tightening the nut a.

Without elaborating the advantages of my improvements, I state my claim to be as follows:

1. The clamp-yoke for dentists use hereinbefore described, consisting of the bent-wire yoke, both members of which are screw threaded, the rigid coupling-bar perforated for the passage of the screw-threaded ends of said yoke and provided with a rigid locking clip or finger to fit over the end of the tooth, and the independent clamp-nuts fitting said screw-threaded ends of said yoke, substantially as described, whereby said yoke may be inserted from the palatal side of the tooth by one movement with one leg or end of said yoke at each side of the neck of the tooth to which the yoke is to be clamped and be securely clamped in proper position upon the tooth without bending by the separate clampnuts and without interfering with adjacent teeth.

2. The clamp-yoke having a coupling-bar provided with a springlip to be compressed by a clamp nut, substantially as described.

3. The clamp-yoke having a coupling-bar fitted with strengthening or looking ribs next the tooth, substantially as described.

4. The clamp-yoke having an anchoring button or lug at its inner curved portion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WOODBURY STORER HOWV.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE W. CLEMENT, ISAAC M. YOUNG. 

